SYDNEY, Jan 2: Mark Butcher rode his luck to score a century on the opening day of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia on Thursday and give England hope of avoiding a series whitewash.

Aided by some sloppy Australian fielding and two questionable umpiring decisions that went his way, the Surrey left-hander compiled a patient 124 to help the tourists reach stumps at 264 for five after they had slumped to 32 for two before lunch.

Butcher shared in a 166-run partnership with captain Nasser Hussain to rebuild the innings after openers Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick went cheaply.

Vaughan, the world’s leading runscorer in 2002, made a forgetful start to the New Year when he was dismissed for a duck while Trescothick went for 19.

Butcher and Hussain restored the innings before Hussain departed after tea for 75, followed by the hapless Robert Key for three then Butcher shortly before the close to leave honours even. England, however, had made several similarly respectable starts in the series before slumping to defeat.

Butcher and Hussain had their luck, with leg-spinner Stuart MacGill dropping a simple return catch off Hussain when the skipper was on six and Butcher surviving no less than four-let offs.

He was dropped off a sharp chance by Damien Martyn on 13 and wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist on 43, a catch he should have taken, and also got the benefit of the doubt to two decisions which television replays suggested should have been out.

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee struck him on the pads then got another life on 95 when he was adjudged not out after Matthew Hayden claimed a bat-pad catch at silly-point.

Despite that, Butcher showed touches of brilliance as he registered his sixth Test hundred and his third against Australia, batting 337 minutes and striking 19 boundaries off 276 balls.

He was dismissed after tea when dragging a ball from Lee back on to his stumps.

The Australians, chasing their first 5-0 series whitewash over England in 83 years, went into the match without their two main strike bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, but still threatened to rip through the English top order.

Lee captured the prized scalp of Vaughan for a duck in a fiery opening spell when the Yorkshireman got a faint edge to an outswinger and Gilchrist took a clean catch in the fourth over of the morning.

Trescothick and Butcher added a patient 28 for the second wicket before Andy Bichel, recalled to replace the injured McGrath, got rid off Trescothick in the first over after drinks.

The Somerset left-hander got a thick edge to a wide delivery and Gilchrist took a brilliant one-handed catch diving in front of Martin Love at first slip.

England went to lunch at 79 for two and batted through the entire second session without losing a wicket before Hussain fell after tea with the total on 198 when he gloved a ball from Jason Gillespie to Gilchrist, ending an innings spanning three and a half hours and featuring eight fours.

Australian captain Steve Waugh, playing in his world record equalling 156th Test, celebrated his achievement by removing Key, who played all round a friendly-paced straight ball to fall leg before.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings):